Meeting documents

Details of Cabinet Member interests in District, Town and Parish Councils will be displayed in the meeting room. The Statutory Register of Member’s Interests can be inspected via the Community Governance team.

Cabinet is asked to confirm the minutes are accurate.

The Chairman will allow members of the public to present a petition on any matter within the Cabinet’s remit. Questions or statements about any matter on the agenda for this meeting may be taken at the time when each matter is considered.

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices, the Scrutiny Committee for Polices, Children and Families report and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to:

• Consider the consultation report and the council response as outlined in appendices 1 and 2
• Agree to proceed with the original proposals and to implement Phase 1 of the proposed integrated Family Support Service (subject to capital funding being allocated by Full Council in February 2018) and specifically:
• Consider the Family Support Service offer providing support and services across Somerset as detailed in appendix 3, noting that the service offer is regularly reviewed and responds to the needs of the local community.
• Approve the revenue funding proposals to deliver the Family Support Service, including the Children’s Centres that retain their Sure Start designation as outlined in section 1.5.3 and appendix 4.
• Approve the development of plans for future consideration by Cabinet regarding Minehead, Wellington, Chard and Yeovil as outlined in appendix 4.
• Approve the changed status of the following buildings by de-designating the following buildings as Sure Start Children’s Centres, and the proposed management changes noting that they continue to provide early childhood services as shown in section 1.5.4 below and appendix 4:
  • Victoria Park, Bridgwater
  • Hamp, Bridgwater
  • Brock House, Norton Fitzwarren
  • The Hollies, Taunton
  • Wellington
  • Bishop's Lydeard
  • Alcombe, Minehead
  • Little Vikings, Watchet
  • Birchfield, Yeovil
  • Oaklands, Yeovil
  • Chard
  • Little Marsh, Ilchester
  • Balsam Centre, Wincanton
  • The Bridge Centre, Frome
  • The Link Centre, Coleford
  • The House, Shepton Mallet
• Agree to delegate any further decisions regarding the operational implementation of the proposals in this report to the Director of Children’s Services and Director of Public Health, with support from the Commercial and Business Services Director.
• Request that the Director of Children’s Services and the Director of Public Health report back to Cabinet to seek approval for Phase 3 of the proposals.

To consider the report.

PLEASE NOTE: Although the main report and Appendices 1 and 2 for this item are not confidential, Appendix 3 available to Members contains exempt information and is therefore marked confidential – not for publication.  At any point if Members wish to discuss information within Appendix 3 then the Cabinet will be asked to agree the following resolution to exclude the press and public: 

Exclusion of the Press and Public

To consider passing a resolution under Regulation 4 of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 to exclude the press and public from the meeting on the basis that if they were present during the business to be transacted there would be a likelihood of disclosure of exempt information, within the meaning of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972:

Reason: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to:

1.    In principle support bringing Public Health Nursing Services into Somerset County Council and develop the new Family Support Service in-house, from existing Getset Services and public health nursing, on the basis outlined in this report and the options appraisal (Appendix 1).

2. Authorise officers to complete all necessary work in order to report back the Full Business Case to the Director of Public Health and the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Children and Families and Public Health and Well-Being,  to enable the preferred option to be progressed and to develop a detailed implementation plan with our partners for delivery of the Family Support Service

3.    Agree the case for exempt information for Appendix 3 to be treated in confidence, as public disclosure of the commercially sensitive data contained within would prejudice the Council’s position in ensuring competitiveness of future tender processes.

To consider the report and the officer’s recommendations.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to approve and recommend to Full Council the approval of:

1.    A Capital Investment Programme for 2018/19 of £91.973m shown in Appendix A. Full details of individual schemes are available online as background papers;

2.    The Chief Executive and relevant Senior Leadership Team Officer(s) following appropriate consultation and after giving due regard to the information contained within any associated impact assessments, are given delegated authority to decide on the specific individual projects to be delivered within generic approvals for their area of control and to secure any necessary decisions in order to implement the projects;

3.    The Prudential Code Indicators as shown in Section 5 & Appendix C.

4.    The statement on the Minimum Revenue Provision be endorsed for the 2018/19 financial year (section 4)

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to approve and recommend to Full Council:

1. The 2018/19 Revenue Budget which sets:
   1. Net Revenue Budget of £316,881,900;
   2. Council Tax Requirement of £230,250,000;
   3. A Council Tax increase of 5.99% (including a 3% precept for Adult Social Care) giving a Band D value of £1,192.16;
   4. Specific savings targets as shown in Appendix A after having due regards to the potential impacts identified in this report and its appendices
2. Continuing the Council Tax precept of £12.84 within the base budget for the shadow Somerset Rivers Authority (representing no increase). This results in a Council Tax Requirement of £2,506,900;
3. Delegation of powers to the Leader of the Council and the Section 151 Officer to finalise budget proposals and recommendations to Full Council on the 21^st February 2018 if changes are required to reflect the Final Local Government Financial Settlement and ensure that a balanced budget is considered at Full Council.

Cabinet further noted that whilst the Council is able to present a balanced budget for 2018/19, it is on the basis that all savings proposals included are achieved.

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to endorse the following and recommend approval by Council on 21^st February 2018:

·        The adoption of the Treasury Management Strategy (as shown in Section 2 of the report).

·        The approval of the Annual Investment Strategy (as shown in Section 3 of the report) and proposed Lending Counterparty Criteria (attached at Appendix B to the report).

The Cabinet further RESOLVED to:

·        Note the Prudential Treasury Indicators at point 4.8.

·        Note the current Treasury Management Practices (TMPs) attached at Appendix D to the report.

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to:

1. Approve the appointment of Willmott Dixon through the Scape Framework to proceed with the delivery of the secondary provision for Selworthy School, Taunton for September 2019 at a gross maximum project cost.
2. Approve the gross maximum project cost of £9 million.
3. Delegate authority to the Head of Corporate Property to finalise contract negotiations and to instruct the County Solicitor to execute all necessary contractual documents in order for SCC to enter into contract with the selected contractor.

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to agree the determination of the Admission Arrangements for all Voluntary Controlled and Community Schools for 2019/20 as set out in the report.

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to approve a virement of £0.6m from the Core Council Programme to ICT as per section 2.3.3 of this report.

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to:

1.    Note the contents of this report and specifically the Forecast Outturn Position for the year (section 3-9), the current Aged Debt Analysis (Section 10) and the projected delivery of the MTFP savings (Section 11).

2.    Approve the drawdown from earmarked reserves as specified in sections 4 and 7 and Appendix A.

3.    Approve £0.093m transfer from earmarked contingency for the Local Assistance Scheme (Section 4.3).

4.    Approve the transfer of £5.888m from contingency to support the additional spend in Children’s Services (Section 8.1).

5.    Approve the use of the flexibilities on capital receipts to fund £1.068m of transformational costs in Learning Disabilities and the planned overspend element of the Core Council programme of £1.173m (Section 7).

6.    Approve the transfer of £1m from the revenue backed Capital Fund and £0.958m from other earmarked reserves to support the in-year position.

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report, appendices and discussion the Cabinet :

1.    Considered the information contained within this report specifically those areas identified as a potential concern under Section 3.0 of this report and the "issues for consideration" section of Appendix A.

2.    Considered that the proposed management actions are adequate to improve performance to the desired level.

3.    Agreed this report and Appendix A as the latest position for Somerset County Council against its County Plan.

To consider the report.

Following consideration of the officer report and discussion the Cabinet RESOLVED to agree:

1.    The case for applying the exempt information provision as set out in the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12A and therefore to treat the attached Appendix A in confidence, as it contains commercially sensitive information, and as the case for the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing that information.

2.    The successful tenderers for each Lot as set out in Appendix A are appointed to provide insurance cover.

3.    That authority is delegated to the Director of Finance, Legal and Governance to complete any necessary steps to complete the procurement and contractual process and put in place insurance cover from 1^st April 2018, including the possible contract extensions for the periods set out in this report and its appendix.

The Chairman may raise any items of urgent business.